My Cognitive Dissonance is Eating Me Alive (Intro Post)

by pometerre21 in

jw
friends

i've been lurking here for a couple of weeks now.

i'm starting to "awaken" and it is all that has been occupying my mind.

i've always, always had doubts, some of which i expressed to family members who always had the same replies:.

Dagney

Welcome pom!

I echo all that have posted here, similar has happened to all of us you are in good company. I looked at this website from afar for about 4 years before I got the courage to post.

My advice is to take the time to find out what you want for your life. Your family is stronger than you think as regards to their reaction to whatever decision you make, to stay or leave. They WILL survive. There are tens of thousands of relatives of ours that prove it so. They will take it hard, but they survive just fine. Some will stay, some will look at how you live outside JW and will get the courage to leave as you did. It happens all the time.

Tomorrow is granted to no one. Life is meant to be lived now...not held in abeyance for some future paradise. Times will be hard and confusing...but it is so worth it. Ask anyone here.

I wish you strength for the journey...you can do it!

19

Long Beach School Teacher - you can guess the rest

by Dagney in

i'm speechless.

i know this guy.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-buena-park-arrest-20160630-snap-story.html.

Dagney

Wow.

33

How To Fade Away Cleanly?

by SplaneThisToMe in

jw
friends

this is my first post and hopefully i can get some advice and input.

i have been actively involved with the organization for a little over 10 years now.

i began studying in high school, got baptized and my family fortunately did not.

Dagney

Hey Splane, good on you for your decision to leave.

FWIW, I didn't know what I was doing when I left, and I wasn't ready to set the world on fire, but I still had to be truthful when asked by family and friends why I "wasn't going to meetings." What I said was I had issues with the corporation, and "I'm taking it to prayer/or between me and Jehovah at this time." That really worked for me because nobody wanted to "go there."

Not sure it would work in today's climate. I wanted to be clear to them it wasn't a passing fancy, and it wasn't personal as with a person or persons, I wasn't wounded or hurt or discouraged. I wanted them to know it was the policies of the corporation is what I had issue with and it was serious enough for me to take action.

I wish you strength and peace for the journey. It is so worth it.

12

Recent JW Literature Trolley Experience

by Athanasius in

the j ws have set up a literature trolley in one of our local shopping centers.

since the goodwill thrift store at the center has an excellent selection of second hand books, i stop by twice a month and buy a book or two that catches my interest.

as a result i've become friendly with the j ws who mind the trolley.. usually the minders are two 70 something j w ladies.

Dagney

So yesterday I flew back into LAX and was down in baggage claim retrieving my bag. I was rushing to get out to schedule an Uber when I had to return to the baggage claim area and take an escalator up to the departure area, where the Uber drivers pick up their fares.

And there they were. Along the wall, with the trolley, each hold more mags, chatting to each other were two "sisters." At first I was like "oh wow you are here" when I saw them. I stopped in front of them for some reason, they continued to chat about some "sister..." They didn't bother to acknowledge me so I hurried on. I had to get to work.

#1 I really need to work up something to say to them. Something short and sweet just to say something.

#2 Oh my goodness...what an odd place to stand. Just along a wall in a busy Southwest baggage claim area. I just can't even believe anybody would stop to talk with them there. Maybe that was the plan...

Odd times.

13

Captain Obvious: A Success Story

by Captain Obvious in

january 2012, at the age of 24 i “woke up” to the truth about the truth.

march 2012, i joined this esteemed message board and was welcomed.

this forum was such a help.

Dagney

Congratulations! and Well Done!

43

We missed you at the meetings...

by punkofnice in

how many times have you heard that trope?.

i found it more irritating than a dose of farmers on the bum.

i've even said it when i was a brainwashed jobo drone.

Dagney

"We missed you at the meetings."

Me: Awww!! Thank you! Hugs.

13

Local JW mom among the victims of the Vegas shooter

by TTWSYF in

rhonda lerocque attended the kingdom hall of wilmington, ma.

my brother and his family were part of that cong back in the day, although i don't know if they knew.. a mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc, etc.. please pray for her and all of those involved..

Dagney

OMGosh...I have a JW on my FB, and she shared this from a page called "JW Brothers."

The comments made me ill...

18

Tom Petty has passed away

by sir82 in

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a12766936/tom-petty-critical-condition-cardiac-arrest/.

sad..

Dagney

Pretty sad day yesterday. He had just finished a world tour ending up here with three days at the Hollywood Bowl just one week ago.

RIP.

21

So today this happened...

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

you all pretty much know my story so i won't repeat it but.... to say i'm being hounded by my local congregation is an understatement.

today the cobe finally found us in.

well, i refused to answer the door but my husband did.

Dagney

Phoebe - how did you respond to the "command from Jehovah" statement about going to meetings?

I had a message left on all 3 of my phones from a JW, former elder, who has kept in touch with me a few times a year since I left. Usually the convo goes okay, but I get agita every time I see his name pop up on my phone. I am wondering if he is going to do the same to me...try to get me back to meetings.

Seriously, I shouldn't be this nervous. I gotta get a grip.

8

Coping With Parents' Becoming Jehovah's Witnesses

by DNCall in

my sister recently wrote a short piece on the impact of our parents' becoming jehovah's witnesses in the 1950s.

she was a teenager at the time.

what is so striking and disturbing is that the same predicament faces so many teenagers to this day.

Dagney

Hi DNCall!

Thank you for sharing your sister's story. Wonderful they had such clarity at that age and got the heck out! I remember having to back away from school commendations and having cognitive dissonance. It just seems so ridiculous now to not pursue what you are good at. ***sigh**

What matters is we are out now, right! *clink*

xxx

Dagney

Posts by Dagney

"We missed you at the meetings."

Me: Awww!! Thank you! Hugs.